"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign."

NEW DELHI -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th United States President and asserted that he looks forward to working him to elevate India-US bilateral ties.

"I just received a call from Secretary Clinton," Mr. Trump said. "She congratulated us-this is about us-on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," Trump said.

Trump, who has in the past threatened to punish his critics, said he was seeking to appeal even to those who hadn't supported him.

Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

The 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest president ever elected to a first term.